Justin Nation Avatar Image

Justin Nation

Windsor, PA
The Nindersect
Nindersect

Favorite Games:
  • Rocket League
  • Neon Abyss
  • Wreckfest

4356 games reviewed
70.7 average score
70 median score
43.2% of games recommended

Justin Nation's Reviews

Strangely enough this isn't my first rodeo, back in the day I wrote for the N64HQ as well as a few other outlets on freelance gigs but then when the HQ closed I decided to step it up and started The 64 Source. As the first word of a follow-up system to the N64 began to swirl I then decided to venture out into completely new territory and started OperatioN2000, where I had very little regular reputable news to share. With no other options I decided create my own content focused on profiling key developers and their current relationship with Nintendo or "dream games" where I saw opportunities for Nintendo to dust off classics or recently-made games and do something new with them on improved hardware. This was all going pretty well until my wife and I decided to have our first child and I then decided that it was time to hang it up and focus on my family. As I closed down both sites I did decide to partner with Billy Berghammer, another former N64HQ writer, who had created his own site, PlanetN2000. We agreed to move over the relevant content from the older sites to his and on top of that I had taken a grad school class in programming in ColdFusion and decided to offer to code the front-end and back-end for a new version of his site. Through these efforts the newer and more complete Planet GameCube was born! While I would occasionally contribute to that site, helping do things like working out Louie the Cat doing rumors and other odd things, I eventually decided to stop as my family obligations grew. While I had continued to follow Nintendo through both the Wii and Wii U eras my TV time was limited enough that I began playing more PC games again. It is in the PC space that I began to play a number of independent games and they started to be the games I enjoyed the most. Between their lower price, their often less traditional gameplay and approach, and their great variety I was hooked! With the launch of the Nintendo Switch I was already excited by the possibilities. The portability factor alone meant that I would have far more options and places I could play away from the TV, and games like Breath of the Wild looked impressive. With my oldest daughter poised to start her senior year in high school and my youngest finishing out junior high I started to see an opportunity to get back into amateur games journalism once again with what is now Nintendo World Report as well but I'd initially just thought about writing some editorials periodically. Then, right before the launch of the system, Nintendo had their Nindie-focused presentation and I saw my two most beloved gaming worlds colliding. The games I had been playing on my PC could now be played in a portable way and on Nintendo hardware! Being the type who tends to work against the normal current the concept behind Nindie Spotlight was born!
Oct 11, 2019

While perhaps I'm a bit jaded having played so many indie puzzle games over the past few years but while its presentation may be nice enough, Demake's gameplay is what I'd consider painfully average...

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0 - Mistover
Oct 10, 2019

Fans of challenging and highly strategic turn-based play have had a number of quality picks on the system to choose from, and though Mistover has a lot on its side with great art and an interesting setup its random elements may make it a bit too unpredictable at times...

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - A Knight's Quest
Oct 10, 2019

Possessing a strong sense of adventure, many nods to the Zelda series and some other titles, and reasonably open world to explore and discover things in A Knight's Quest has a fair amount working in its favor...

Read full review

6.8 / 10.0 - Family Tree
Oct 10, 2019

Taking aim at the budget-friendly, colorful, and approachable casual game category we have Family Tree...

Read full review

6.1 / 10.0 - Contraptions
Oct 10, 2019

While undeniably encouraging creativity a general wonkiness holds this back from success

Read full review

8 / 10.0 - Valfaris
Oct 9, 2019

If you’ve been looking for an experience on Switch that takes some of the core shooting mechanics of games the likes of Contra, then bolts the ability to hack and slash, and tops it all off with some cranking metal tunes and loads of intensity… Valfaris is going to be your new jam...

Read full review

Oct 8, 2019

Bringing together 4 progressively-improving puzzle titles you can enjoy solo or co-op, this collection is a win for action puzzle fans...

Read full review

Oct 8, 2019

A quick admission, while I’ve always appreciated the beauty of the Trine series overall I was just never much of a fan of the overall experience...

Read full review

Oct 8, 2019

Retro games or those that attempt to recapture a certain vintage feel can be a tricky business and there’s no doubt that in such an oversaturated market with abundant choices hitting just the right notes must be tough...

Read full review

7.4 / 10.0 - BurgerTime Party
Oct 8, 2019

As a huge fan of the original arcade title I'm happy to report that this nostalgic trip is a pretty great one, maintaining the integrity and experience of the main game while giving both the visuals and the core gameplay itself an upgrade...

Read full review

7 / 10.0 - One Night Stand
Oct 4, 2019

While I can't say I've ever had a one night stand in my life, and that could perhaps make me unable to review this with authority, there's an honesty and sincerity to this title I found appealing...

Read full review

Oct 4, 2019

Having played through and enjoyed quite a number of hidden object and puzzle games over the years there’s a comfort zone that The Tiny Bang Story occupies pretty well, at least for a little while...

Read full review

If you've ever thought it would be cool to strap on a proton pack and join the likes of Peter, Egon, Ray, and Winston to bust some ghosts this may be a thrill for you...

Read full review

5.7 / 10.0 - Community Inc
Oct 4, 2019

If you're looking for a community building game where you'll create and define every element piece by piece, setting up your workers, assigning their roles, and cultivating their well-being Community Inc may be of interest to you...

Read full review

7.5 / 10.0 - Neo Cab
Oct 3, 2019

When it comes to cyberpunk stories/adventures who knew that the Switch would slowly end up with a collection of them of sorts? I suppose the neon-tinged visuals and semi-futuristic settings that are then possible allow for exploring slightly different narrative territory, and that’s something that Neo Cab does well...

Read full review

7.2 / 10.0 - Candleman
Oct 3, 2019

When trying to set your title apart in a crowded Switch eShop having a unique visual hook is a good starting point...

Read full review

Oct 3, 2019

Taking on the puzzle likes of Sudoku and the Picross series we now have Tic-Tac-Letters, which in some regards feels similar but whose rules are unique and present their own challenge...

Read full review

Oct 2, 2019

As long as you keep this title's low price in mind what appears to be a somewhat bare bones Metroidvania title turns out to be a pretty challenging, though not terribly long, romp that should help satisfy for a little while at least...

Read full review

8.5 / 10.0 - 80 Days
Oct 1, 2019

Though the act of traversing the world is no longer such a grand feat in the time of Jules Verne, when he wrote Around the World in 80 Days, it was by no means a simple feat...

Read full review

8 / 10.0 - Super Crate Box
Oct 1, 2019

It’s always very cool to encounter games that have simple designs and very few rules but then manage to be so well-implemented that they suck up your time...

Read full review